In a milieu where notable cryptocurrency figures rally behind Donald Trump’s presidential bid, Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin offers a contrarian perspective, cautioning against endorsing candidates solely based on their pro-crypto stance.

In a thought-provoking blog post on Wednesday, Buterin articulated his concerns: “By publicly creating the impression that you support ‘pro-crypto’ candidates simply because they are ‘pro-crypto,’ you contribute to a dynamic where politicians recognize that merely supporting ‘crypto’ secures your backing.”

Buterin highlighted a burgeoning trend within the crypto community to engage more actively in politics, often aligning with parties and candidates based almost entirely on their crypto-friendly positions. “In this post, I argue against this trend, emphasizing that such decision-making risks betraying the core values that initially attracted you to the crypto space,” he elaborated.

His remarks starkly contrast the fervent pro-Trump sentiments expressed by other prominent crypto personalities. Ryan Selkis, co-founder of the crypto information platform Messari, has been particularly vocal, identifying as a “single-issue voter” favoring Trump over incumbent Joe Biden due to Trump’s favorable stance on crypto. Selkis recently attended a Mar-a-Lago event where Trump promoted his NFT collection and underscored his newfound support for digital assets.

Moreover, Coinbase, the prominent U.S.-based crypto exchange, has emerged as a formidable force in political donations this year through its Fairshake PAC. The crypto industry now wields substantial financial clout to influence elections, aiming to elect politicians who will facilitate a more conducive environment for crypto businesses in the U.S.

On social media platform X, Selkis vehemently criticized Buterin’s stance. “I respect Vitalik, but he has consistently been one of the most naive and ineffectual political commentators in crypto. Idealism is not realism, and he ignores the cultural malignancy and Marxist infiltration we face. He’s wrong,” Selkis asserted.

This discourse highlights a significant ideological rift within the crypto community, underscoring the tension between principled advocacy and pragmatic political engagement.